As the world prepares to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, which takes place twice annually—once in May, with the return of northern birds in spring, and again in October, when northern birds migrate and southern birds return in early autumn—many enthusiasts of this important ecological event have called on Egypt to play a vital role in these migratory patterns. Egypt is considered a crucial migratory corridor for birds, being one of the world’s most significant migratory routes and a land bridge connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa. Millions of birds migrate through Egypt as it is the only land crossing between continents.
Egypt’s significance stems from being an international wintering ground for migratory waterfowl, with about 500 species of birds, including 34 bird-watching sites across the country. These sites include northern lakes, Lake Mallaḥ in Port Fouad, Lake Qarun, the Zabarjad and Kolon islands in the Red Sea, the El Qasr Desert in the Western Desert, Mount ‘Alba,’ Saint Catherine, Ras Mohammed, Wadi El Rayan, Wadi El Gamal, Ain Sokhna, Wadi El Natrun, and the El Maghara Mountain, alongside wetlands, high-altitude mountains, desert valleys, and coastal flats.
Egypt stands out for having the second most important migratory bird routes globally, with four primary migratory paths. These birds come from the Caucasus region, pass through the Levant, and enter Egypt, eventually traveling to East Africa. This route crosses through Al-Arish, the Suez Canal, and the Nile Delta. These migratory birds include species such as the white and black storks, white pelicans, Uruguay’s ibis, and raptors like the Egyptian vulture, golden eagle, and the peregrine falcon, all of which are considered endangered. Additionally, waterfowl species like the shirshir duck, bulbul duck, the marine gull, and wading birds like flamingos and sandpipers are found. Tree-dwelling species such as the quail and the European roller, arriving from Europe in early August and reaching Egypt by September or October, follow the Nile River and the Sahara Desert before heading to Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. They return to Europe in April and May, during which hunting is prohibited, as they carry fertilized eggs back to Europe for nesting in the summer.
In line with the growing attention from the Ministries of Environment and Tourism regarding the evaluation of infrastructure and local community readiness to expand eco-tourism activities in Aswan, particularly after the decision to halt illegal hunting in Lake Nasser, which was threatening eco-tourism prospects in the area, several meetings have been held with Aswan residents and tourism sector workers. These discussions aim to organize bird hunting in Lake Nasser and reach a consensus on sustainable hunting practices that serve all parties.
Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Monem El-Qaisouni, an expert in eco-tourism, shared insights with Al-Masry Al-Youm, emphasizing that the ancient Egyptians were the first to observe and record birds, documenting over seventy species of resident and migratory birds on the walls of temples and tombs. These records remain preserved to this day. Egypt enjoys a rich diversity of bird species, hosting 150 resident species and 280 migratory species passing through in flocks.
Dr. El-Qaisouni referred to an article published on November 21, 2018, entitled “Protecting Migratory Birds at the Biodiversity Conference—An Egyptian-Italian Project Supporting Local Communities in Nature Reserves to Develop Eco-Tourism,” which marked a significant development in this regard.
He further noted that birdwatching tourism is a global trend, with Britain alone having 10 million birdwatchers across 500 clubs. Countries like the United States generate $41 billion annually from this activity, creating over 650,000 jobs, while Canada’s birdwatching tourism brings in $250 million, and Turkey’s earns $104 million, according to a study published by Nature magazine. Egypt, however, boasts one of the best legal frameworks for regulating hunting and protecting biodiversity.
Dr. El-Qaisouni also pointed out the negative developments in Egypt following the 2011 revolution. In December 2013, Egypt’s ambassador in Berlin received petitions from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, signed by 115,000 people, urging Egypt to take action to protect migratory birds from mass extermination during their migration through Egyptian lands in the fall, heading to Central Africa, and again in spring, returning to their homelands in East Asia and Europe, carrying eggs.
That same year, Egypt’s ambassador also received a letter from a member of the German Bundestag, highlighting the organized extermination of quails along Egypt’s northern coasts. This led to an international conference at the United Nations in Bonn, Germany, where the Egyptian delegation pledged to take the necessary measures to address migratory bird hunting.
